Coupling system for sectional floating dry docks



April 12, 1955 E. J. QUIRIN COUPLING SYSTEM FOR SECTIONAL FLOATING DR? DOCKS Filed April 11, 1952 4 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. dwurd J. Quirin ATTORNEY E. J. QUIRIN April 12, 1955 COUPLING SYSTEM FOR SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1952 INVENTOR.

Edward J. Quirin ATTORNEY April 1955 E. J. QUIRIN 2,705,933

COUPLING SYSTEM FOR SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY nocxs Filed April 11, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. Za.

FIG. 6

INVENTOR. Fdwurd J. Quirin ,VM WMQZ ATTORNEY April 12, 1955 FIG. IO

I11 [I III/11111111111111! 111/ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II I E. J. QUIRIN 2,705,933

COUPLING SYSTEM FOR SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCKS Filed April 11, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MR. Edward J. Quirin FIG.9 BY

ATTORNEY United States Patent COUPLING SYSTEM FOR SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCKS Edward J. Quirin, Great Neck, N. Y., assignor to Frederic R. Harris, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 11, 1952, Serial No. 281,727

9 Claims. 01. 114-46) My invention is an improvement in floating dry docks, especially a coupling system for floating dry docks made of transverse sections joined together end to end to produce a floating dry dock of predetermined size.

The principal object of my invention is to provide novel means by which the component sections of a floating dry dock can be readily united to one another to form a complete dock that is rigid throughout and fully capable of serving its intended purpose.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means comprising interengaging members carried by the sections at the transverse ends thereof, for enabling two or more sections to be aligned for assembling; or joined in other positions when necessary to transfer machinery from the pontoon hull of one section to the wall of another section, or from a wall of one section to the pontoon hull of another.

A further object is to provide a floating dry dock built of sections that carry coupling members all so arranged that the sections can be united at many points along lines that extend transversely on opposing end faces of the walls thereof from the planes of the inboard sides of the walls to the outboard sides thereof near the tops and bottoms of said walls; crosswise below the level of the safety decks therein; and along lines that are vertical and adjacent the inboard and outboard sides or faces of the walls of the sections; said members being adapted for adjustment so that the sections can be tightly secured together and can effectively resist all horizontal and vertical stresses and bending moments.

An additional object is to provide a floating dry dock made of assembled sections with coupling members that are stout and durable, and designed so that they can be easily manipulated with ordinary tools to connect the sections or disconnect one or more when inspection or repair is needed, or for some other reason.

The nature of the invention and more of the objects and advantages thereof are fully and clearly set forth herein and the characteristics are pointed out in the claims. On the drawings the preferred construction is illustrated, but variations may be adopted in many respects without really altering the essential arrangement or combination of parts in which I have embodied my invention.

On the drawings:

Figure l is an end elevation of one section of a floating dry dock according to my invention.

Figure 1a is an isometric view of the dock with the sections assembled.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing a pair of sections assembled and coupled.

Figure 2a is a similar view showing the coupling members enlarged.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan of part of the opposing ends of two adjacent sections showing coupling members for the upper parts thereof.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of the end face of a section showing coupling members at the top and lower down near the level of the safety deck in a wall thereof.

Figure 5 indicates in top plan parts of two sections showing horizontal coupling members, and said interen gaging members in position.

Patented Apr. 12, 1955 Figure 6 is a section of a turn buckle used for coupling purposes.

Figures 6a and 6b show details thereof.

Figure 7 is an axial section of a pintle for the adjacent ends of the sections.

Figures 8 and 9 are transverse sections along lines 8-8 and 9-9 respectively on Figure 7.

Figure 10 is an axial section of a gudgeon or socket member which is mounted on the end of a section in line with a pintle on an adjacent section.

Figures 11 and 12 are cross sections of the gudgeon along lines 11-11 and 12-12 respectively on Figure 10, the gudgeons and pintles constituting said interengaging aligning members.

The dock has the usual configuration with pontoon hull bearing the main or pontoon deck and wing walls along the sides of the hull. The sections, each indicated by the letter S, when assembled lie in transverse positions; each having a hull 1 and wing walls 2. The sections are placed end to end so that the hulls 1 thereof form the pontoon hull D of the whole dock extending along the full length thereof, and the walls 2 of the several sections are all in alignment and form the wing walls W along the full length of the sides of the dock. See Figure la.

The hull of each section has a main deck 3 and a bottom 4, the decks 3 being all at the same level to form the main or pontoon deck of the dock when the sections are joined together. In the walls 2 of each section the level of the safety decks near the tops supporting the machinery for the section is indicated at 5 and in the hull 1 and walls 2 of each section are bulkheads indicated in part at 34 on Figure 1 for dividing the interior into flooding and buoyancy compartments. Each section has its own pumps, conduits and valves for admitting and expelling water when the dock is to be sunk and raised. The system of pumps, conduits, etc., is of usual construction and illustration is believed to be unnecessary. The equipment and arrangement of bulkheads are not part of the invention. The pumps are indicated diagrammatically at P in Figure 1.

To facilitate getting and holding the sections in proper position for coupling, interfitting aligning or guide members are mounted at the same level on the opposing end faces of the sections. These members include projecting members 6 or pintles and gudgeons or members 7 with sockets to receive the pintles. The gudgeons are mounted on the end face of one section and the pintles on the opposing end face of a section next to it. They are in such locations that the walls 2 are kept in alignment and the decks 3 are maintained at the same level while the coupling operation is performed.

The sections are assembled end to end and extend transversely of the dock when finished and they are joined together by horizontal rows of coupling members 8 extending between opposing ends near the top or upper decks 9 of the walls 2 and by horizontal rows of coupling members 16 of the same type between opposing ends below the level of the main or pontoon decks 3. Also the sections are joined by vertically disposed coupling members 11 lying approximately in the planes of the inboard sides or faces 12 and outboard sides or faces 13 of the walls 2 below the safety decks 5 and between the decks 5 and tops or upper decks 9, and by similar vertically disposed coupling members 11a between the decks 3 and 5. The opposing ends of the sections are also joined by horizontally disposed coupling members 14 of the same construction as the members 11 and 11a, connecting the ends of the walls 2 below the level of the safety decks 5. All these coupling members include anchor pins and turn buckles extending in the required direction from one section to another. The arrangement is clearly shown on Figure l.

The inside framing and outer plating of the walls 2 are so formed at the tops that the opposing end faces the walls of the sections.

15 of the walls 2 present shoulders 16 adjacent the edges of the upper decks 9. These shoulders run horizontally along the end faces 15 of both walls on all the sections except the sections at the extremities of the assembled dock; one of which is shown at the right on Figure 2; and the last-named sections have such shoulders along only the end faces that oppose the end faces of the sections next to them. The upper row of coupling members 8 is attached to the opposing end faces of each pair of adjacent sections along these shoulders. Below the level of the deck 3 the end faces 15 of the sections have transverse horizontal grooves 17, one such groove lying beneath each of the shoulders 16, and the ends of the coupling members in the lower rows are disposed in each pair of such opposing grooves 17. The separate coupling members 8 and 10 comprise turn buckles, each having a central sleeve for tightening. Thick horizontal holding or anchor plates 18 are afiixed to the framing inside the sections and project out through the vertical portions of the opposing end faces above the shoulders 16 and at the bottoms of the grooves 17, and are perforated near their outer ends. These plates are in pairs, one above the other, and form bearing lugs for coupling pins 19 to attach the turn buckles 20 to the sections. Each turn buckle has a central sleeve 21,'threaded inside, and a polygonal outer surface like a nut to be engaged by a tool. This sleeve receives the threaded shanks of bolts 22 having loops or apertures 23 at their outer ends.

These apertures each receive a spherical head 24, that has a bore through it for the passage of the retaining pin 19. Bearing rings or shims 25 are carried by the lugs 18 to prevent vertical motion. These pins have heads 26 at their upper ends and apertures 27 in their lower ends for cotters or other devices to prevent displacement. The sleeves 21 can be turned to make the couplings taut, and each turn buckle extends across the space between adjacent sections at a 90 degree angle to the opposing faces 15. The turn buckles coupling the sections between the shoulders 16 and grooves 17, because of the heads 24, which constitute ball joints at the pins or journals 19 can be easily attached and when the sleeves are tightened they adjust themselves as the sections are pulled close to one another. To assemble the bolts 22 and heads 24 each head is seated in a ring 28, made in two semicircular halves that fit around the head 24. The inner faces of the halves are concave spherical surfaces to engage the head, and the outer faces are cylindrical and fit into the apertures 23 snugly.

' Hence the two halves of the ring 28 are simply fitted on the head and then an assembled head and ring are inserted into the aperture 23 at each end of each turn buckle. When the pins 19 are now passed through the lugs 18 and the heads 24, the ends of each turn buckle with its heads 24 and rings 28 are held securely.

The coupling members 11 and 11a between the uppermost members 9 and the lowermost 10 extend up and down at a slight incline between opposing ends of the assembled sections. Just below every shoulder 16 the walls2 have anchor plates 29 extending from the end faces 15. These plates 29 are affixed securely in place framework of the dock. The plates 29 are mounted in pairs one pair at the outboard side 13 of each wall and other at the same level on the inboard side 12 and parallel thereto. The outer edges 30 of the plates 29 slant downward and outward and at their lower outer corners are projections 31 that are perforated like the bearing lugs 18 for the coupling pins 19. Below each pair of plates 29, also adjacent the inboard and outboard faces of the walls 2 is a pair of bearing or anchor plates 32 on opposing end faces 15 of walls of adjacent sections. The outer ends of these plates 32 have projections 33 at their upper corners for coupling pins, so that each pair of said plates 29 on one section is united by a turn buckle 20 to the pair of plates 32 just below it on an adjacent section. These turn buckles are almost vertical. They also have a ball joint connection at each end with the pins 19 as above described. The plates upper 29 and 32 are thus connected by the coupling members 11.

The plates 32 are all approximately of double the width or height of the plates 29 and 29a, and the center lines thereof are at the level of the safety decks 5 in The lower outer corners of each pair of plates 32 also have perforated projections 33, and each pair of plates 32 cooperates with a similarly located pair of plates 29a below them. The lastnamed plates 29a are mounted so that their outer edges 30a slope upward and they present their perforated corners 31a uppermost. Thus the lower plates 29a and the lower halves of the plates 32 can be connected by turn buckles of the same design as in the members 9 and 10. But the lower turn buckles 11 will be inclined in the opposite direction to the vertical with respect to the couplings in the upper rows 11. The sections are thus further united by turnbuckles on their opposing ends in the planes of the inboard faces 12 and outboard faces 13 of the Walls 2 just above and below the decks 5, as shown on Figure 2a.

The coupling members 11a connect the adjacent ends of the side walls at the inboard and outboard faces of said walls by means of plates 29a in pairs below the plates 32 and plates 29 united by the turnbuckles 11. See Figure 2.

Also somewhat below the safety decks 5 in each opposing end face 15 of the walls 2, the sections carry pairs of horizontal superposed anchor plates 29b having the same outline as plates 29 and 2911. One pair is mounted near the inboard side and the other pair near the outboard side of the walls 2 near the inner sides of the vertical plates 29a. Further in the opposing end faces 15 of each adjacent section is a pair of superposed horizontal plates 32b of double width having the same outline as the above-mentioned plates 32, with perforated projections 33 at both outer corners. The adjacent corners 31 of the horizontal plates 29b are also perforated so that turn buckles 20 can be mounted to join each pair of horizontal plates 29b to the central horizontal plates 32b. These plates 29b and 32b and turn buckles make up the row of coupling members 14.

The turn buckles in the rows 9 and 10 resist the bending moment of the dock, and the turn buckles in the rows 11 and 11a resist the vertical shear stresses. The rows 14 resist the horizontal shear stresses.

To align the sections and enable the turn buckles to be mounted and secured by the pins 19, the pintles 6 and gudgeons 7 are utilized. These are located on the sections at the middle of the end faces 34 of the hulls,

which are continuous with the end faces 15 of the walls 2, and on the end faces 15 of the walls 2 at the level of the decks 5. The sections at the extremities of the dock have such members on the end faces opposing the next adjacent sections, while the other sections have these members on both end faces. One end face, may carry only the pintle, and the opposing face of the next section may carry the gudgeons, or the sections may carry both kinds. In any event, each pintle member 6 must be in line with the proper complementary gudgeon or socket member 7. When the sections are first assembled, the pintles will enter the gudgeons and the sections will all be held in horizontal alignment and at the same level while the turn buckles are attached.

The pintles are conical and mounted on plates 35 secured to the sections by bolts or welding. The portion 36 adjacent the base is inclined the more, and outer portion 37 is steeper, and is closed at the extremity by a plate 38. This plate is connected to the base by a post 39, and the post is braced inside by transverse circular plates 40. The p'intle is further reinforced by radial ribs 41 welded to the plates 40 and the post 39. Thus the pintle is made strong enough to resist crushing. Each gudgeon or socket has a circular body 42, welded to a similar base 43 affixed to the section bearing it, and the outer end has a socket 44. The inner end of this socket is braced by a stud 45, the sides of the socket are braced by transverse circular reinforcements 46, and there are also radial ribs 47 joined to the socket and the disks 46 and base 44 for further reinforcing the socket member and making it strong enough to resist crushing. Both the pintle and the gudgeons have lifting rings 48 welded thereon. The bases 35 and 43 are braced by struts 49 in the walls and hulls of the sections. The plates 40 and ribs 41 are of course welded to the post 39 and portions 36 and 37.

The arrangement of the coupling members and the interengaging guide members is indicated on the front view, Figure 1 and side view, Figure 2; the latter figure indicating the positions of the coupling and guide members and presenting the faces or sides of the dock without any reference to the interior construction, which is not part of this invention. The pintles and gudgeons can be welded to the end plates 35 and 43 or these plates can be welded to the end faces of the sections or secured by bolts or other means; or the pintles and gudgeons might be welded directly to the faces of the sections if desired.

Having described my invention what I believe to be new is:

1. A floating dry dock having a pontoon hull, main deck and wing walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of the completed dock, each having a pontoon hull, main deck and walls forming parts of the hull, main deck, and wing walls of the dock, each section having end faces extending across the hull and walls thereof and coupling members attached to the opposing end faces of the walls of the sections, some of said members being arranged in horizontal rows on said faces and extending longitudinally of said dock, others being arranged vertically adjacent the inboard and outboard faces of said walls and extending diagonally downwardly and others between said rows extending diagonally across said faces.

2. A floating dry dock having a pontoon hull and wing walls, said dock comprising assembled sections extending transversely of the completed dock, each section having a hull with main deck and walls forming part of the hull, main deck and wing walls of the dock, each section having end faces extending across the hull and walls thereof and coupling members uniting the sections, some of said members being connected in horizontal rows to the end faces of the sections near the tops of said opposing walls, some in horizontal rows below said main deck, and some extending horizontally at intervening points, said members being arranged to resist shearing stresses and bending moments, said members having ball-joint connection with said sections at said faces.

3. A floating dry dock having a pontoon hull, main deck and wing Walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of the completed dock, each having a pontoon hull, main deck and walls forming parts of the hull, main deck, and wing walls of the dock, each section having end faces extending across the hull and walls thereof and coupling members attached to the opposing end faces of the walls of the sections, some of said members being arranged in horizontal rows on said faces and extending longitudinally of said dock, others being arranged vertically adjacent the inboard and outboard faces of said walls and extending diagonally downward and others between said rows extending horizontally and diagonally across said faces, said members having balljoint connection with said sections at said faces.

4. A floating dry dock having a hull, main deck and wing walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of said dock, each section having a hull, main deck and walls forming parts of the hull, main deck and wing walls of the completed dock, said walls and hulls of the sections having opposing end faces, the faces of the walls having transverse horizontal shoulders at the tops in their opposing end faces and transverse horizontal grooves in said end faces below said decks, coupling members and means for securing said members to said walls at said shoulders and in said grooves, additional coupling members at the inboard and outboard sides of said walls and extending diagonally downward, means for securing said additional members to said walls at said faces on the inboard and outboard sides of said walls, and other coupling members extending horizontally across said faces in diagonal directions and means for securing the lastnamed members to said walls.

5. A floating dry dock having a hull, main deck and wing walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of said dock, each section having a hull, main deck and walls forming parts of the hull, main deck and wing walls of the completed dock, said walls and hulls of the sections having opposing end faces, the faces of the walls having transverse horizontal shoulders at the tops in their opposing end faces and transverse horizontal grooves in said end faces below said decks, coupling members and means for securing said members to said walls at said shoulders and in said grooves, additional coupling members at the inboard and outboard sides of said walls and extending diagonally downward, means for securing said additional members to said walls at said faces on the inboard and outboard sides of said walls, and other coupling members extending horizontally across said faces in diagonal directions and means for securing the last-named members to said walls, said coupling members each including a turn buckle with loops at the extremities,

said securing means having the form of plates with bearing openings and pins passing through said openings and oops.

6. A floating dry dock having a hull, main deck and wing walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of said dock, each section having a hull, main deck and walls forming parts of the hull, main deck and wing walls of the completed dock, said walls and hulls of the sections having opposing end faces, the faces of the walls having transverse horizontal shoulders at the tops in their opposing end faces and transverse horizontal grooves in said end faces below said decks, coupling members and means for securing said members to said walls at the shoulders and in said grooves, additional coupling members at the inboard and outboard sides of said walls and extending diagonally downwardly, means for securing said additional members to said walls at said faces on the inboard and outboard sides of said walls, and other coupling members extending horizontally across said faces in diagonal directions and means for securing the last-named members to said walls, said coupling members each including a turn buckle with loops at the extremities, said securing means having the form of plates with hearing openings and pins passing through said openings and loops, said turn buckles each having a spherical member in said loops with a bore for said pin to make a ball-joint connection between said pins and turn buckles.

7. A floating dry dock having a hull, main deck and wing walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of said dock, each section having a hull, main deck and walls forming part of the hull, main deck and wing walls of the completed dock, said walls and hulls of the sections having transverse opposing end faces, the faces of the walls having transverse horizontal shoulders at the tops in their opposing end faces and transverse horizontal grooves in said end faces below said decks, coupling members connecting said sections and means for securing said members to said walls at said shoulders and in said grooves, additional coupling members at the inboard and outboard sides of said walls and extending diagonally downward, means for securing said additional members to said walls at said faces on the inboard and outboard sides of said walls, and other coupling members extending horizontally across said faces in diagonal directions and means for securing the lastnamed members to said walls.

8. A floating dry dock having a hull, main deck and wing walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of said dock, each section having a hull, main deck and walls forming parts of the hull, main deck and wing walls of the completed dock, said walls and hulls of the sections having transverse opposing end faces, the faces of the walls having transverse horizontal shoulders at the tops in their opposing end faces and transverse horizontal grooves in said end faces below said decks, coupling members connecting said sections and means for securing some of said members to said walls at said shoulders and in said grooves, additional coupling members at the inboard and outboard sides of said walls and extending diagonally downward, means for securing said additional members to said walls at said faces on the inboard and outboard sides of said walls, and other coupling members extending horizontally across said faces in diagonal directions and means for securing the last-named members to said walls, said coupling members each including a turn buckle with loops at the extremities, said securing means having the form of plates with bearing openings and pins passing through said openings and loops.

9. A floating dry dock having a hull, main deck and wing walls, comprising assembled sections extending transversely of said dock, each section having a hull, main deck and walls forming parts of the hull, main deck and wing walls of the completed dock, said walls and hulls of the sections having transverse opposing end faces, the walls having transverse horizontal shoulders at the tops in their opposing end faces and transverse horizontal grooves-in said end faces below said decks, coupling members and means for securing said members to said walls at the shoulders and in said grooves, additional coupling members at the inboard and outboard sides of said walls and extending diagonally downward, means for securing said additional members to said walls at said faces on the inboard and outboard sides of said walls, and other Coupling members extending horizontally across said faces in diagonal directions and means for securing the last-named members to said Walls, said coupling members each including a turn buckle with loops at the extremities, said securing means having the form of plates with bearing openings and pins passing through said openings and loops, said turn buckles each having a spherical member in said loops with a bore for one of said pins to make a bail-joint connection between 1 said pins and turn buckles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nacey Apr. 27,

Warren Sept. 22,

Harris July 10,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 24, 

